smokin International Epoxy

[seafox]

Has anyone had this happen to them or know why?

I needed to glue some wood to the inside of the hull under my teak and holly floor. I bought some Epiglass HT9000 and mixed it according to the label. I also added some Epilgass glue powder again according to the label.

A few minutes later the pot I had mixed everything in started smoking and got hotter and hotter and hotter. It set very quickly and I ended up chucking the lot over the side into the sea before it caught fire.

I went and bought some more materials and tried again with the same result.

It was a fairly hot day (happened in the summer).

[ozskip]

I have had it happen when i've mixed a large quanity or using the wrong hardener eg:slow,standard or fast curing hardener,for the ambient temperture.Greg

[GordMay]

From West System Epoxy: http://www.westsystem.com/

“... Exothermic heat is produced by the chemical reaction that cures epoxy. The amount of heat produced depends on the thickness or exposed surface area of mixed epoxy. In a thicker mass, more heat is retained, causing a faster reaction and more heat. The mixing container's shape and the mixed quantity have a great affect on this exothermic reaction. A contained mass of curing epoxy (8 fl. oz. or more) in a plastic mixing cup can quickly generate enough heat to melt the cup and burn your skin. However, if the same quantity is spread into a thin layer, exothermic heat is dissipated, and the epoxy's cure time is determined by the ambient temperature. The thinner the layer of curing epoxy, the less it is affected by exothermic heat, and the slower it cures ...”

[seafox]

Thanks, that makes sense. I used a plastic cup to mix it. I will use a flat wide lid or similar next time. Cheers
Darryl

[encore]

Darryl,
You also want to keep it out of the direct sun. That will greatly accelerate the curing and heating process.
Ellis

[Alan Wheeler]

Darryl, you are in warmer temperatures now. You want to ensure you have the "summer" hardener. It's a different No. on the hardener bottle. It may also have the labeling in Red, but can't remember. West certainly do anyway.
As Gord suggested and you acknowledged, place in a wide container.
Warning, DO NOT inhale those fumes that come off it. They will make you seriously ill.

[seafox]

I wear that 3m mask that you told me to buy. This all happened last summer and I thought I would post the question about it.

[hellosailor]

Epoxy can be fun, but at least the smoke (rarely catches fire, but the smoke is wicked nasty chemical vapors) is documented.

I was trying to cut down some cotton shoelaces, and since I didn't have any do-it-yourself aiglet kits to put on new ends, I though I'd just soak it with some crazy glue before I cut it.

Nope. Apparently if you have the right kind of cotton shoelaces and soak them with crazy glue, they CAN CATCH FIRE! (I suppose we'll have to ban shoelaces and crazy glue from airline travel next. )

Remember, if the boat catches fire, that's OK. If you throw the epoxy overboard...that's an illegal discharge of plastics and a $10,000 MARPOL violation. "Hello, Prudential?" <G>

[sluissa]

working with epoxy one day at my old job i had just this situation happen to me, we were mixing up batches and rolling it onto the bottom of a boat, well, as the day went on, it got warmer and warmer, and at one point my rolling partner took a break while I kept going, well, with him gone, the epoxy stayed in the tray just a bit too long and went off, started smoking and got hot enough to deform the metal paint tray.

I usually melt at least one container per project. With the West Sysems, and using the pump, I can mix about 15 pumps. Anything more and by the time I am at the bottom, it is already heating up.

[Alan Wheeler]

You can do a couple of tricks. One is to have a mixing container and sit it in a larger container filled with cold water. Another is to cool the resin/hardner down in the fridge. Then mix it as you require. It keeps the mix cold, but as soon as you apply it to the surface, the surface warms it up very quickly and the reaction starts.

[seafox]

I had already brushed the epoxy onto the inside of the hull when I noticed the pot starting to smoke. At the time I was worried that the hull was going to do the same thing and burn a hole in the boat. Was all a bit stressfull!!!

[CaptainK]

Ha ha ha .

You actually thought that the epoxy was going to burn a hole in you're hull. Ha Ha Ha!!!

Man. Must be the first time you've worked with fiberglass and epoxy, eh?

Sorry. I couldn't stop from laughing at this last post.

[hellosailor]

Oh, give the man a break.<G> Glue ain't supposed to smoke and burn!

Oh, wait a minute:
One million for McD's serving coffee (a product of boiled water) that is too hot.
Two million for Wendy's serving hot chocolate that is, again, similar to the boiled water it is made from.

Hmmm.....Oh, damn! This epoxy burned me, quick, fetch my lawyer! I'm going to own eight Hinckley's, one for each day of the week, and a spare for holidays! <VBG>

K, I have provided the folowing link so that you might have a better understanding of epoxy.
http://www.westsystem.com/frames/tier1/usingepoxy.htm
It can catch fire. I have personally seen it happen.